Take a look at this.

Apparently, there were once ground cherries up to an amazing two inches in diameter that tasted similar to strawberries.

I think the biggest one I've seen in modern times was about a half an inch in diameter.

Other things I've seen on Google Books suggest that ground cherries were more popular back then.

Damn, I want them. How do we Jurassic Park those back into existence?

Oh, wait. Maybe they do still exist.

I remember something I read in the past that I forgot. Apparently, some (not all) varieties of Physalis peruviana can get up to two inches. I still haven't seen one that big, though! (Not even a picture.)

https://www.britannica.com/plant/Cape-gooseberry

I've grown that species before, but not the kind that gets that big. It was more difficult to grow than Physalis pruinosa (they weren't early, at least), but had nice-looking, big plants with nice soft leaves. The fruit I got was really interesting (but small). I grew the kind that grows tall, from Baker Creek.

I'm not sure if the kind that gets up to 2" is still around (but it's still talked about).

That’s the one that grows wild here, we call it poha, but definitely never seen anything over an inch, and definitely never two.

We had wild ground cherries in Oklahoma.
Some people ate them.
Not me, I was petrified of dieing a horrible death.
They are probably wild in Texas too but again not interested..

Has anyone checked the ars-grin collection for the possibility of large ones?

I happen to be growing a variety called Giant Groundcherry this year. Vendor indicates they are only 1" in diameter though. I will keep you informed!

Mark_Thompson wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 4:25 am That’s the one that grows wild here, we call it poha, but definitely never seen anything over an inch, and definitely never two.

I am only growing two types and the other one happens to be Poha.

They are wild here in Brazoria county. I saw some late in summer last year while foraging for Chanterelles, beautyberries and maypop. I didn’t pay attention to how big the ground cherries were. I didn’t gather any. They look like tomatillos. I don’t know what to do with ground cherries. I’ll look for them again this summer. If they are extra big, I’ll take note.

@karstopography
Thanks. I'd be glad to hear of the results.

If they're an edible kind, they make a great fresh snack after they fall off the vine (don't pick them off the plant; those aren't ripe). Some wild kinds may be toxic even when ripe, though; I'm not sure how you tell the difference between the toxic-when-ripe and non-toxic-when-ripe kinds. I hear some people make pies out of ground cherries (probably preserves, too). Apparently, they make a good snack when dried in sugar like raisins or figs (according to that old catalog).

They're pretty good frozen.

They're all toxic when unripe, however.

Unlike tomatillos, ground cherries don't break open the husk when they ripen (so, you don't need to look for that). However, it's possible that a giant ground cherry might (as most people have probably never seen one to find out).

Shule wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 10:05 pmThey're all toxic when unripe, however.

Is this really true? I've eaten plenty of green ones that my better half won't eat, and I'm not dead...not sure my brain isn't addled, but that might just be garden fever. We wind up with green ones when a storm or disease stress causes them to fall off the plant before they are ripe, and of course ground cherries don't ripen off the plant.

But seriously, all this nightshade family stuff is considered toxic, isn't it?

Yes, most vegetables have naturally produced by the plants themselves toxins in them, as defense mechanisms to protect the plants from attack. Billions, including myself, enjoy their daily dose of toxic alkaloid caffeine to stimulate their brains and bodies for the day ahead. The ld/50 on caffeine is around 300mg/kg body weight. So in theory, a single dose of about 15 grams of caffeine would kill half the people consuming that dose and weighing roughly 100 pounds. Another 15 grams all at once would take out the 200 pounders.

Solanine, found in the nightshade family like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and ground cherries, Ld/50 is around 5mg/kg, so quite a bit more toxic than caffeine or nicotine, ld/50 on that is in the 50s mg/kg.

How much solanine is actually found in unripe ground cherries, or tomatoes for that matter, good luck finding out that number.

Toomanymatoes wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 3:04 pm I happen to be growing a variety called Giant Groundcherry this year. Vendor indicates they are only 1" in diameter though. I will keep you informed!

Mark_Thompson wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 4:25 am That’s the one that grows wild here, we call it poha, but definitely never seen anything over an inch, and definitely never two.

I am only growing two types and the other one happens to be Poha.

Hello. I was reading this thread and am wondering how the Giant Groundcherry turned out?

I have been growing groundcherries for several years. Aunt Molly’s is a good prolific one which produces nice sweet berries. They make awesome pies. From Seed Savers I got one called Loewe family, which were also excellent. This year I got seeds from larger ones picked up in Germany. They grew really large but never produced a fruit. I am wondering if my soil was too fertile causing green and no fruit. I tried some other large ones from Fedco a couple of years ago with the same results.
So will go back to growing the smaller but dependable ones. Another tasty one is Pineapple - sweet with a pineapple taste.
If anyone has growing tips would love to hear them. We also have a weedy variety which I assume is toxic. Hard to pull up but is growing wild. The fruit is a different color, more brown.
This is a lesser known fruit which more gardeners should try!

colcol2 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:24 am

Toomanymatoes wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 3:04 pm I happen to be growing a variety called Giant Groundcherry this year. Vendor indicates they are only 1" in diameter though. I will keep you informed!

Mark_Thompson wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 4:25 am That’s the one that grows wild here, we call it poha, but definitely never seen anything over an inch, and definitely never two.

I am only growing two types and the other one happens to be Poha.

Hello. I was reading this thread and am wondering how the Giant Groundcherry turned out?

I have a feeling they are really tomatillos. They were not sweet and quite tart. Very strong flavor. Never had a tomatillo before, so not sure how they are supposed to taste. The fruits were large and the plant grew quite big too.

Took a photo of the fruit. Stupid me forgot to open one and take a photo of the actual berry. I will edit the post and add it later.

@Toomanymatoes
The husks do have that ground cherry look to them. Do you have a picture of the leaves? Tomatillo leaves can be less furry, and almost shiny, like pepper leaves. Ground cherry leaves tend to be less smooth/glossy, and can be furry.

Shule wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:59 am @Toomanymatoes
The husks do have that ground cherry look to them. Do you have a picture of the leaves? Tomatillo leaves can be less furry, and almost shiny, like pepper leaves. Ground cherry leaves tend to be less smooth/glossy, and can be furry.

Not currently, but I will take one. The plant is in my community plot and hopefully still alive. The growth was more like groundcherry, at least compared to the Tomatillo plants grown in neighboring plots.

It is was labeled as Physalis peruviana. Just does not taste like any groundcherry I have had before. However, I also have 5 different Physalis 'groundcherry' species (pruinosa, peruviana, griseav, minima and pubescens), so that is why I was thinking it might be closer to a Tomatillo just a different species from (Physalis ixocarpa or Physalis philadelphica). I also have Physalis coztomatl. There so many!

I love Physalis! I am trying to find as many as I can to try. Working on getting Physalis angulata and Physalis viscosa..

If it's not not Physalis philadelphica/ixocarpa, I'd call it a ground cherry, or Physalis, instead of a tomatillo, no matter the species, unless maybe you're talking about the Pineapple tomatillo (which I believe is actually a ground cherry).

Physalis peruviana does indeed taste a lot different than such as Aunt Molly's ground cherry. You can't see thorugh the skin as easily, either. The skin is a striking gold color. It's capable of tasting very good, but the taste does seem to be variable. Mine were a lot more potent in flavor than Aunt Molly's, Ammon Martin's, Goldie, Yellow Husk, and probably others. The Physalis peruviana I grew tasted a lot different than the dried Golden Berries they sell, which are also supposed to be Physalis peruviana.

Depending on who wrote the article, LOL, it seems tomatillos and ground cherry are the same. Here is a link to a larger one, Baker Creek had it a few years back, too.

Queen of Malinalco Tomatillo

https://www.tradewindsfruit.com/physali ... mQEALw_wcB

Here are some pictures of the plant.

Looks just like one of the pohas that grows wild at my friends house. Elevation is about 2500 ft, a lot colder than my place.